Rain In The Savings!

Happy May!

There is an exciting event happening here at Delmmar. Your radio and so many others are 15 OFF the whole month. Wow! I can’t believe that there is a 4-pack offer also happening with the BPR40 and CP110.

Your friends here at Delmmar are excited. If your radios need some more  family members, this is the time to bring them home.  Here are a few radios available:

• CP110: up to 20% louder than most models
• BPR40: best basic radio
• CP200: is durable and reliable, also construction grade
• CM300: is your vehicle mobile solution
• DTR650: is license free 900 MHz, not UHF or VHF

There are several more radios in this 15 OFF event. It excludes the VL50. You can call, send an email, or visit us at www.eradiostore.com

May rains in all the savings for you.  Act now! This event ends June 1, 2012.  And don’t forget, you have 7 months left until the Narrowband change.

Don’t forget we have  flat rate radio repair with a 5-7 work day turnaround.
~af

radio range…

Here at the radio repair center we occasionally get questions about the range of a 2-way radio. Below are some simple answers to basic two-way radio range questions:

Handheld radios generally will talk “radio-to-radio”, “line-of-sight” up to 2 miles. Once you start putting obstacles in between the radios you will shorten your range. Even the body fluid of the person wearing the radio on their hip will absorb some of the range. Higher wattage radios will have a slight increase in range and a significant increase in clarity of transmission on the outer fringes of your range.

Mobile radios, such as those mounted in vehicles, will generally talk “radio-to-radio” 8-10 miles depending upon the obstacles and the terrain.

Base stations will generally talk approx. 8-12 miles. (referencing a simple base station where you use a mobile radio, power supply and outside antenna, aka a control station.)Contrary to popular belief wattage does not determine distance. Antenna height and placement determines distance.

Increasing Range:
1) Hold your radio perpendicular to the ground, not slanted like you would hold a phone. This problem alone could decrease your range 30-50%.
2) Don’t shout CB-style, shouting reduces talk-range on industrial-type radios.
3) Be certain you are using a good, fully-charged battery.
4) Check your antenna. Any exposed copper coil or weather checks which expose the coil when bending are a sign your antenna needs replaced. Also, keep in mind, use of a stubby antenna will reduce your range. The best antenna for a radio is generally the standard antenna it came with.
5) And the guys in the shop will tell you… have your radios serviced every two years to maintain peak performance. 

Looking for even more range? You might be in the market for a repeater, or have need to connect with a local repeater or trunking system which is already in place. But first, try bringing your radios to optimum range by following the above tips.

~cl

january happenings

So did you hear, Motorola divided into two companies? The change should be seamless to you as a radio user. The radio side of Motorola will now be called Motorola Solutions Inc.  A name implying we do more than just radios, we provide communications solutions.  (If you’re thinking cellphones, you need the other company Motorola Mobility.) As far as Delmmar Comm is concerned, it is business as usual. You can still expect to find the best deals on Motorola 2-way radios and our fast turnaround repair center operating just as they always have. No surprises here, it’s business as usual for us.

Happy New Year!
~cl

are you ready?

NARROWBAND: Radio manufacturers are quickly making changes as we head toward the deadlines for Narrowband. We have several tools to assist you in the transition. Some things you need to know:
1) There is a quick FAQ sheet at our website, along with a worksheet for you to fill out and send in with your radios to be reprogrammed.
2) Reminder: You must have any existing FCC license modified for your transition to narrowband. You need to do this by January 1, 2011. This modification can add narrowband to your existing wideband license, which will make the change seamless.
3) Get your radios reprogrammed and retire the radios which cannot make the change. See the narrowband worksheet and FAQs for reprogramming prices.
4) If you’re staying wideband for a while longer, now is the time to get replacement or add-on radios, while wideband radios are still available. It won’t be long until the only radios available are all narrowband. All the month of Dec. 2010 all radios capable of both wide- and narrowband are on sale $20 off. (offer not good in conjunction with other offers.)

REPAIR CENTER: Don’t forget Winter is a good time to send your radios in for service. We have a remarkable 5-7 day turnaround on most units. Flat rate repair fees are listed on our website.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

~cl

here it is the holidays…

Lots of little tidbits we need to share with you as we end the year:
1) All Motorola radios are $20 off our already discounted price during December. (except VL50) It is likely your last chance to purchase additional wideband radios to match your existing radios, for those of you who haven’t made the switch. (FYI: For online orders, the discount will be subtracted from your final invoice included in your shipment.)
2) Time to get serious about making your radios match the FCC narrowband mandate. Your FCC license needs to be modified before Jan. 1, 2011, to allow you to transition to narrowband.
3) All replacement batteries are on sale $5 off during December with a paid radio repair, or a purchase of a new radio. No quantity limits.
4) The radio repair center is still running a fast 5-7 day turnaround on most units. If your business is slower this time of year, it would be a good time to send your radios needing repair or reprogramming in.
5) Narrowband reprogramming is available on many radios. $30 for the initial radio of a model type, and $6 ea. for those able to be cloned.

Hope you and your family have a safe and wonderful holiday season. Many blessings from your friends at Delmmar (aka eradiostore.com)
~cl

$250 rebate?

Yes, it is true, Motorola is offering a $250 rebate on the purchase of 8 CP200, CP200-XLS, CM200 and/or CM300 radios, now through the end of the year. If you are planning on upgrading or replacing your fleet due to age or the FCC’s narrowbanding mandates, now would be a great time to save! The CP200 is a great construction-grade radio with a 2 year warranty, and it’s counterparts the CM200 and CM300 mobile radios are a convenient way to have communications at your fingertips in a vehicle.  And if you were wondering…. It’s a simple online process to claim the Motorola rebate once you’ve made your purchase.
~cl

mobile radio: most common failure part

Every radio type seems to have their own weakness. For a mobile radio it is the coiled cord to the hand mic. It gets used and abused over time simply by frequent use. The connection to the plug gets stressed, the cord is stretched beyond its limit, you name it.

There are two possible solutions to this problem, repair or replacement: hand mic replacement or having your current hand mic repaired. For current mobile radios such as the CM300 a new hand mic can run around $48.55 ea. Or if you’re looking at repair, it starts around $30. If you send it in to our repair facility, our techs will assess the hand mic and provide you with the best option.

~cl

2-way radio range

Handheld radios, such as the Motorola CP200, will generally transmit radio-to-radio, line-of-sight up to 2 miles. Once you start putting obstacles between the radios you will shorten your range. Even the body fluid of the person wearing the radio on their hip will absorb some of the range. Higher wattage radios will have a slight increase in range and a significant increase in clarity of transmission on the outer fringes of your range.

Mobile radios, such as the Motorola CM200, will generally transmit radio-to-radio up to 8-10 miles depending upon the obstacles and the terrain. 

Base stations will generally transmit approx. 8-12 miles.

What can you do to improve range? Contrary to popular belief wattage does not determine distance. Antenna height and placement determines distance.  Hold your portable radio perpendicular to the ground, not slanted like you would hold a phone. This problem alone could decrease your range by up to 2/3s. Don’t shout CB-style, shouting reduces talk-range on industrial-type radios. If you have a radio user who stays in a fixed location, think about adding a small base station into your system. Have your radios serviced every two years to maintain peak performance.  When using a mobile radio or base station: Be certain with your antenna that it is installed correctly. You can improve the range of your mobile radio by using an antenna which is cut to the appropriate length for your primary transmit frequency. Proper positioning of the antenna on the vehicle is key to good range.

Necessary Motorola verbage:
MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.
All other product and service names are the property of their respective owners. © Motorola, Inc.